Miftah al-falah (book): Difference between revisions

'''Miftāḥ al-falāḥ fī 'amal al-yawm wa l-layla min al-wājibāt wa l-mustaḥabbāt''' (Arabic: مفتاح الفلاح فی عمل الیوم و اللیلة من الواجبات و المستحبات) is an Arabic book by [[al-Shaykh al-Baha'i]] (d. 1031 A.H./ 1621) in 6 parts concerning supplications as well as obligatory and [[recommended]] acts and manners for a Muslim. The book was very significant for scholars and many researches have been made about it.

[[Baha' al-Din al-'Amili]] (953-1030 or 1031 A.H./ 1546-1620 or 1621), Muhammad b. 'Izz al-Din Husayn, known as Baha'i or al-Shaykh al-Baha'i. he was a scholar of [[fiqh]], a philosopher, a mathematician, and a scientist in 10th and 11th centuries A.H. (16th and 17th centuries). He wrote 123 scholarly and literary works. In the [[Safavid]] period, he had occupied the highest religious position, that is, [[Shaykh al-Islam]].

In the preface to his book, al-Shaykh al-Baha'i mentioned the book as "Miftah al-falah". According to [[Sayyid Muhsin Amin]], the book's title is "Miftah al-falah fi 'amal al-yawm wa l-layla". According to [[Aqa Buzurg Tihrani]], the book's title is "Miftah al-falah fi l-a'mal wa l-ad'iya al-abadiyya fi l-yawm wa l-layla". In later prints of the book, the title is "Miftah al-falah fi 'amal al-yawm wa l-layla min al-wajibat wa l-mustahabbat".

Al-Shaykh al-Baha'i wrote the book upon the request of some people in order for Muslims to have an instruction to act upon during a day and a night. Thus all obligatory (wajib) and recommended (mustahabb) prayers, [[wudu]], [[taharat]] and the like are mentioned in the book.

In different parts of the book, Baha'i elaborated some scholarly or hadith-related debates and considered different views. One such case is his detailed discussion of [[Tasbihat Fatima al-Zahra (a)]].

'''Miftah al-falah''' consists of a short preface regarding the motivation for the writing of the book and a short introduction to each part. The author classified the practices of days and nights into six categories.

According to [[Shaykh 'Abbas Qumi]] in his [[Safinat al-bihar]]: Qadi Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad b. Taqi al-Din Isfahani—who was the judge of [[Isfahan]] and a scholar of [[fiqh]] and [[kalam]] and a mathematician in the period of [[Shah 'Abbas Safawi]]—said that he saw one of the [[Imams (a)]] in his dreams. The Imam told him to write down "Miftah al-falah" and comply with its instructions. He said: when I woke up, I asked scholars about the book, but they said that they never heard of such a book. At that time, al-Shaykh al-Baha'i had travelled to a part of Iran together with the Shah's army. When he returned to Isfahan, Qadi Mu'izz al-Din asked him about the book. Baha'i said: in this travel, I wrote a supplication book under "Miftah al-falah" and I have not told anyone about it. He then cried and gave his manuscript to Qadi. This was the first copy written from al-Shaykh al-Baha'i's manuscript.  

* A translation into Farsi by [[Aqa Jamal Khwansari]] (d. 1125 A.H./ 1713).

* A translation by Muhammad Sharif b. Ahmad al-Jaylani under "'Urwat al-najah fi tarjuma miftah al-falah". In this translation, the epilogue of the book (an exegesis of Sura al-Hamd) was removed, and instead the supplications of each day of the book, [[ziyarat]] of the [[Infallibles (a)]] and well-known supplications like [[Kumayl Supplication]] and [[Samat Supplication]] were added to it.

* A translation of the book under "Adab 'Abbasi" by Sadr al-Din Muhammad b. Muhibb al-Tabrizi—al-Shaykh al-Baha'i's student—during the lifetime of Baha'i. A manuscript of the book is available in which Baha'i's comments were deleted.

* A translated under "al-Tuhfa al-nawwabiyya" by Sayyid Muhammad Ja'far Husayni in 9 parts, the first 6 parts are just those of Miftah al-falah, and the last three parts are added to it, including the practices of [[Rajab]], [[Sha'ban]] and [[Ramadan]] months.

* "Minhaj al-najah fi tarjuma miftah al-falah" by 'Ali b. Tayfur al-Bastami, written in 1062 A.H. (1651).

* "Lisan al-sabah fi sharh kalam al-Baha'i fi awa'il miftah al-falah fi bayan al-fajrayn" by Sayyid Mufti Mir 'Abbas.

* "Falaq al-sabah fi sharh miftah al-falah" by Shaykh Sulayman b. 'Abd Allah al-Bahrani (d. 1121 A.H./ 1709).

"Fath al-miftah" is a summary of the book written by one of al-Shaykh al-Baha'i's students.

* A commentary by Mulla Isma'il Khwaju'i (d. 1173 A.H./ 1759)

* A commentary by [[Sayyid Muhsin Amin]], the author of [[A'yan al-Shi'a]].

"Minhaj al-salah fi wajibat al-salawat al-yawmiyya wa mandubatiha wa zubda a'mal al-sunna wa l-ad'iya al-asabi'" by [[Mulla Nazar 'Ali b. Muhammad Muhsin Gilani]] was written to supplement Miftah al-falah.

* 137 manuscripts of the 11th century A.H. (17th century)

* 70 manuscripts of the 12th century A.H. (18th century)

* 34 manuscripts of the 13th century A.H. (19th century)

* 9 manuscripts of the 14th century A.H. (20th century)

Miftah al-falah was published in [[Mumbai]] in 1304 A.H. (1886), in [[Tehran]] in 1317 A.H. (1899) and in [[Egypt]] in 1324 A.H. (1906). After this, it was frequently published in different places and by different publications.